Question

What are the ethical situations pertaining End of life issues.  Describe an ethical situation you experience and how you are able to resolve it.

Answer 1

Ethical Situations Pertaing to End-of-life issues: The ethical issues about end of life care mainly depends on following points,

They are :

1. Ethical and Legal issues in Palliative care,

2. End of Legal barriers to end of life care myths, realities and grains of truth,

3. Prescribed ethics and law in the ICU,

4. Ethical aspects of withdrawing and withholding treatment.

In the core discussion we have to apply or take consideration above points without fail.

Core discussion of Ethical situations:

   As a nurse, you are consistently put in different situations, specifically, hospital nurses who provide end of life care are responsible for helping the patients transition to the last stage of existence,

- all while acting as a resource for patients, care givers and other family members during this difficult time,

- while end of life decisions are made in all age groups, the number projects may be double by 2060, this makes it important for nurses to prepare for end of life care needs as necessary and understand the potential issues that develop.

Importance of Understanding the ethics of end-of-life care and helpful resources for nurses to cope up the situation:

Nurses helping the patients during last days or hours of their lives may will face An ethically difficult situations. Physicians and nurses alike have the responsibility to providing patients with detailed information about treatment and potential outcomes.

Helpful resources for Nurses: to cope up the situation we have to use certain resources like:

- Performing an ethics consultation,

- taking advice from hospital team members,

- take advice from medical experts,

- Many hospitals have an ethics committee that can help you address solve situations.

Desription of solve the issues: If overcome the following problems, ultimately we can solve the patient end of life care problems. they are mainly,

1. Broken Communication,

2. Compromised patient autonomy,

3. Poor symptom management,

4. Shared decision making.

Broken communication:

1. Whether a patient can no longer speak for him or herself or family members have a hard time describes what their loved one wants,

2. Nurses may face the breakdown the communication during decision making process,

3. End of life conversations are always difficult but they need to happen,

4. Asking patients their wishes and providing accurate information and resources ensures a clear line of communication.

Compromise patient Autonomy: As a Nurse, it is vital for you that respect patient autonomy,

2. Nurses should encourage patients and this significant others to directive end of life care and use-advance directives , so patients wishes can be fulfilled,

Poor symptoms Management:

1. It is a major factor in nursing caring for patients at the end of their lives,

2. The relief of symptoms must be balanced with possible side effects and medications.

Shared Decision Making: Nurses face the issue of trusting the intent of the significant others or respecting the patient wishes. These are by using the advanced directives like

- Living will,

- Medical power of attorney,

- follow physician orders for life sustained treatment.

Summary of the Topic : Ethical situations handled by the nurses have to take of care death anxiety, anticipation of death signs, respects the physician orders, informing accurate information to the patient and asks last wishes and minimise their pain physically and emotionally.

  An important role of the nurse like these type of situations are to help patients understand the complete advanced life care planning to guide their end of life care by listening and offering necessary information.